Conventional cellular telephones have become extremely popular and indispensable communication tools for people who are constantly "on the go". While technology exists to permanently mount cellular telephones in vehicles, permitting users to utilize such devices while driving, most cellular telephone users use them, or at least need access to them, in locations other than their vehicles. Thus, the cellular telephone of choice to most users is a "portable" cellular telephone. Portable cellular telephones are primarily battery-operated, although technology exists to operate the telephone and/or charge the telephone's battery by connecting the telephone and battery to a power supply, such as a vehicle's cigarette lighter.
In the setting of a vehicle, however, portable cellular telephones are cumbersome, and potentially dangerous, to use. If the telephone is picked up only one hand. Often, in an effort to remain "hands-free", drivers support the telephone between the shoulder and the neck, which positioning tends to increase the possibility of accidents, as the driver's top priority should be operating the vehicle, and the effort to use the cellular telephone in a "hands-free" manner may pose additional dangers to the driver. In fact, certain jurisdictions throughout the world have proposed and/or enacted legislation prohibiting the use of cellular telephones in vehicles, to the extent that such use affects the driver's operation of the vehicle.
One possible manner in which to avoid the dangers of operating a vehicle while using a cellular telephone is to utilize a device which converts the telephone for use in a hands-free, or loudspeaker, environment. When such an accessory is installed in a vehicle and a portable cellular telephone is mounted thereto, it is possible to use a portable cellular telephone in a truly hands-free environment, as the portable telephone's microphone and speaker are linked to the same elements within the hands-free accessory.
Previous efforts to provide a hands-free apparatus for use of a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,530 to Chen ('530 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,213 to Huang ('213 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,222 to Guenther ('222 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,205 to Ching ('205 patent); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,088 to Stamegna ('088 patent), each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The '530 patent describes a rack securing a cellular telephone to a window of an automobile which is adjustable to fit to the mouth of a driver so as to permit a driver of a vehicle to operate a cellular telephone in a hands-free manner. The securing rack includes a mounting base having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, a clamping board which is adjustably associated with the mounting base and engaged with a speaker and a battery box, and a securing piece removably fixed to a telephone retaining seat having a voice pick-up. A cellular telephone is held by a spring biased clamping member of the retaining seat with the voice pick-up which is electrically connected to the speaker.
The '213 patent describes an apparatus comprising a wireless microphone transmitter, to be disposed in a passenger room of a vehicle, a main terminal with a terminal housing comprising a loudspeaker and one end adapted to be inserted into a cigarette lighter socket, and a telephone connector adapted to be electrically connected to a mobile telephone unit via an electrical cable. adapted to be electrically connected to a mobile telephone unit via an electrical cable.
The '222 patent describes a headset for use with a cellular telephone. The headset comprises an acoustical earpiece assembly, a device for mounting the ear piece assembly on the head, in a position adjacent an ear of a person wearing the headset, and a flexible acoustical receiving tube having an upper end connected to the earpiece and a lower end attached to an acoustical receiving cup. The headset also includes a device for releasably attaching the acoustical receiving cup to a telephone in a position where the mouth of the cup is disposed closely adjacent the telephone speaker for receiving sound emitting from the speaker.
The '205 patent describes an extensible windshield portable holder, capable of firmly attaching to the front windshield and extending to a desired handy position to the driver. The windshield portable holder comprises an extensible holder arrangement, which includes a supporter, a sucking device for firmly attaching to a predetermined position of a windshield, an extending device, and a telephone holder mounted on the supporter and adapted to hold a portable telephone thereon.
The '088 patent describes a vehicular audio/cellular telephone system including a vehicular audio system and cellular telephone. In a first embodiment of this invention, the vehicular audio system includes an AM/FM radio, cassette player, CD player or combinations of these, integrates a detachable cellular telephone including a transceiver, rechargeable battery, and small non-directional antenna. When integrated into the vehicular audio system, the cellular telephone uses the vehicle's power and external antenna.
None of the devices mentioned above describe a cordless apparatus for permitting the hands-free use of a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle which is compact, easy to use, and removably attachable for use in any vehicle.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a lightweight, easy to install, and cordless apparatus for permitting the hands-free use of a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle.
There is a further need in the art for a cordless apparatus for permitting the hands-free use of a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle which is removably attachable for use in any vehicle.
There is a further need in the art for a cordless apparatus for permitting the hands-free use of a cellular telephone while simultaneously charging the telephone battery, in preparation of using the telephone outside the vehicle.
Finally, there is a need in the art for a unitary lightweight, small and cordless apparatus permitting the hands-free use of a cellular telephone while driving a vehicle, which cannot be visually observed from outside of the vehicle and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.